Tamiya 1/35 Churchill Mk VII Tank

[Steve-the-Duck]

On the real thing, you mean? That depends. American tools generally got dip-painted olive drab at the factory, either the tool factory or the vehicle factory (I’m not sure), and only then added to the already-painted vehicle. The Germans, when they camouflage-painted their tanks, tended to leave the tools on so those would just be painted along, and the Americans did much the same in those units that applied (usually black) patches to their vehicles. This helps the camouflage, of course, because now the tools will stand out less than if they’re a different colour than the vehicle they’re on.

Y'know, I have NEVER thought about painting the tools to match the vehicle before, so they always stand out on mine. But then, it would be typical of us Brits to NOT paint the tools. And besides that, I'm usually doing early war stuff anyway, so the metal parts are black or gunmetal
Hmmm...

[Guest]

Like everything if you aim for accurate models, you need to look at how it was done IRL I don’t know about the tools on British vehicles, though — bit looking at a few photographs should give examples quickly enough.

[Scratchbuilder]

If you are going to use rattle can primer, try Hycote acrylic car primer, heck of a lot cheaper and lasts a lot longer, available from Azon.
Tools would normally come with the vehicle, these would be in natural state, ie bare wooden shafts/handles, then later would get a few coats of paint which would wear with use, Tow cables would be covered with grease originally to prevent rust and depending on how often they were used depended on the wear. I saw tow cables in my regiment the went from rust to NATO Green to Bronze Green to black.

[Guest]

Little update. Primer just came and I'm waiting for the tracks to fully dry before priming them.
I've tried to cover the seams on the turret where the front plate joins, it looks okay so far.
unfortunately there are still seams in places on the gun barrel.

So my job tonight is to try and fix that and fit the tracks.

[Mark1]

So far so good :thumb2:

[Guest]

So far so good :thumb2:

Yep, I'm expected it to all go Tango Uniform when I start painting. lol

[Waspie]

Yep, I'm expected it to all go Tango Uniform when I start painting. lol

You've done a good job so far - keep the faith!!!

[Graeme C.]

Just found your build Steve, it's coming along nicely.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone.

Small update. I've been spraying it a couple of coats of Olive Drab. This is only the 5th-6th time of using my airbrush so I'm still getting used to it.
also this is the first time I've used Tamiya acrylics with it. So here we are so far.

as you can see it's FAR from perfect but that's mostly down to my newbie skill level with my airbrush. (and yes it's still looking 'patchy' after two coats, that particular
problem I will put down to a mix of my low airbrush experience and the poor light level in my spraying room as it can be quite hard to see what bits I've hit and which i've not)

I'm STILL having issues with the damn barrel and one seam line that will not go, I've scraped it and sanded it several times but the thing will not vanish.
I've not given up yet, I'll have another go but good grief it's a stubborn little thing!

Quite frankly I really HATE the way I ruin my models when it gets to the painting stage, I dread it knowing it's going to ruin them and yes it does.

[Guest]

Don’t be too harsh on yourself, painting is a skill, and airbrushing even more so. The more you do it, the better you will get at it. But it will probably also help to invest in (or take from somewhere else in your house ) a decent lamp to put over the place where you spray your models. Poor lighting means you’ll probably mistake areas that haven’t been painted well enough for shadows or highlights, for example, but that will generally only become obvious once you’re done and view the model in better light.

[Andy T]

To be fair many, including myself, go to great lengths to get some kind of variation in their paint job rather than a solid block of colour, as it adds a bit of interest. I'd see it as a happy accident.

[Steve-the-Duck]

Y'know, I actually quite like the effect you've got there. It's, to me, a rather interesting shading effect rather than simple solid colour
There's honestly a lot to be said for 'happy' accidents... but it's wether YOU are happy with the outcome
Or not

[Gern]

There's quite a few guys who use CA mixed with fine powder (baking powder, weathering pigments etc.) to fill stubborn seam lines.

[Guest]

To be fair many, including myself, go to great lengths to get some kind of variation in their paint job rather than a solid block of colour, as it adds a bit of interest. I'd see it as a happy accident.

There is that, of course I, too, try to add colour variation to my models, but do it by first spraying the model a solid colour and then adding a lighter colour over it. Trying to rely on happy accidents is not going to work in the long run, I think

[Dave Ward]

Thing about operational tanks............................ they're driven on dusty roads, on wet roads, across muddy ploughed fields, across standing crops, through hedges and narrow streets and bridges, are in sunlight, pouring rain, blizzards, parked in the open, or under trees, crewed by men who are tired, and will do essential maintenance only. - and that's not thinking about any effects of action!
A tank may start Olive Drab, but after a few weeks' operations, it won't look like that!
Dave